Antique Paintings, Maps, Documents, Photos

Lincoln signed commissions for US Navy Captains are quite rare. Making this commission even more important is the history behind Capt. Green. Commander Green took command of the sloop-of-war USS Canandaigua in August 1862 and reported to Charleston, South Carolina, as senior officer of the Charleston blockade. The objective was to isolate the Confederacy from overseas supplies. In early 1863, Capt. Green took the sloop "Secesh', destroyed another blockade runner and aided in the capture of a schooner and a steamer in the same area. More importantly, Capt. Green rescued 150 members of the crew of the HOUSATONIC when she fell victim to the historic attack of the Confederate submarine "H.L. Hunley" in February 1864. Capt. Green continued to play an important role during the balance of the War and in 1870 was appointed Rear Admiral by President Grant. Regarding the document itself, it is printed on vellum and measures 17" by 14." It is in pristine condition. Lincoln's signature is bold and dark unlike most of the others that I have seen. The commission is also signed by Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy. Overall, this is a rare and historic commission which has now been beautifully framed and matted.